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I don’t think many people out there actually look forward to flying. I mean, other than the fact it’s a way to get to the place you really want to see. If I had one superpower it would be to blink and be somewhere in no time at all. But unfortunately that’s not something we can do, so flying it is. Which is why I want to share my long-haul flight tips for a more comfortable flight.
As a Brit who now lives in Canada, long haul flights are kind of my jam. And while I still don’t particularly like flying, I am getting more used to it and finding more ways to make the time fly quicker (pun totally intended). So read on for my top travel tips for surviving long flights.
Top 10 Long-Haul Flight Tips
Spending a long time on a flight means being prepared. As well as figuring out which essentials to bring with you, it’s also about comfort. Planning in advance for maximum comfort is a must when you’re traveling so far. And while many people have their own long-haul flight tips, these are the ones that have worked best for me.
Check in as early as possible
When the 24 hour mark hits, GO GO GO!!!! Your future comfort could depend on your strategically planned seat selection. Me?? I love a good aisle seat.
Getting to stretch your legs a bit on a long flight is invaluable. So aisle seats are the best for easy access to get out. They avoid having to wake up complete strangers who seem to have the ability to sleep like they’re dead.
Even if you don’t want to pay for seat selection at time of booking you can still look at the airplane layout. Scope out the seats you might want for when check in opens and select the seats at the 24 hour mark without the additional cost.
Pack light and choose your bag wisely
Most people’s biggest travel problem – chronic overpacking! Guilty! But one thing I have stopped doing in recent years is using those little wheeled suitcases for carry on.
More often than not you’ll see a dozen people in the aisle as the plane doors are closing, all looking for somewhere to stow their bags. Not me though. I travel with a backpack now. Using packing cubes and compression bags, I can fit more in my backpack easily.
Without the concern of whether there will be room in the overhead, I no longer feel the need to rush forward when the gate opens. Put your backpack in the overhead compartment if there’s space, but it will also fit comfortably under the seat.
Bring noise-cancelling headphones
Do you like listening to people snoring at 35,000 feet? Me neither. Invest in some nice noise cancelling headphones for a really relaxing flight. I think most of us sit on a plane wishing we could be anywhere else. But that’s hard to do when you hear everything going on around you.
Watching movies on the small screens with the cheap plastic headphones is no better. With your own headphones you can plug them into your computer or phone and watch pre-downloaded Netflix shows.
You don’t need to spend a fortune for noise-cancelling headphones either. Check out these ones on Amazon for a budget version of the more expensive brands.
Bring something to read
Sure it might be easy to sit back and watch movie after movie. But staring at a screen about 6 inches from your face for 10 hours might not be the best for you. Mix it up a bit and read a book.
I often find I don’t have time to read anymore when I’m busy working, but come vacation time you can bet my bag is full of literary delights to escape with. Get started on your poolside reading early.
Can’t be bothered with a full book? Bring a magazine, crossword book or even a game to play with your travel companion. Just something else to do to avoid constant screen time.
Drink plenty of water
One of the best long-haul flight tips for your health! Don’t be tempted by sodas and alcohol. Keep a clear head and a comfortable tummy. Both are famous for dehydrating you more which is not good on a long flight.
As a bit of a Diet Coke fan, I still try to steer clear of it on flights. The fizzy carbonated drinks give you more gas. The gas then builds up due to the decrease of cabin pressure of the high altitude. As a result you’ll be more uncomfortable and bloated, and sometimes nauseous.
Drink water instead, it is much better for you and will make you feel way more comfortable on your long flight. Click here for top ways to stay healthy while traveling in winter.
Bonus Tip: Take a reusable water bottle with you and fill it up after security.
Be nice to the people around you
Don’t rush to your seat hitting everyone with your giant bags. Resist the urge to fight over the arm rest and instead say Hi to your neighbor. They’ll be next to you for the next 8+ hours, do you really want to get off on the wrong foot?
Everyone is flying for different reasons. Visiting someone, or leaving someone behind. Some might even be terrified of flying. I know I’ve often been more than a little emotional on a long flight leaving home, compounded by my poor judgement in selecting Marley & Me or Toy Story 3 as in flight movies.
So being extra nice to someone takes little to no effort. Who knows, maybe you’ll even have a great conversation with your seat neighbor. If they’re from the place you’re going to visit they might even have some great travel tips for you.
Get up and walk around
Stretch your legs and get your circulation going. Sitting for long periods of time is not good for you, especially when you need to aid digestion of any snacks and drinks you’ve had. Take a walk at least once an hour if you can. Or at least do some stretches in your seat.
On my last Air China flight to Vietnam they showed an exercise video mid-flight. Everyone followed along to the small space yoga/tai chi video showing how to stretch at your seat with the limited space you have. It was actually really helpful, made me feel much better and of course it was fun.
Bring healthy snacks
Don’t sit and eat junk food for the whole flight. Your body will not thank you for it -neither will your neighbor. On long flights especially, it can be easy to eat out of boredom.
But I always feel so sick after eating a bunch of junk food I can’t walk off. So one of my top long-haul flight tips: ditch the salty chips and sweets. They will dehydrate you more. Instead, bring more healthy in-flight snacks.
Veggies and dip are perfect: Hummus with celery, snap peas, carrots and cucumber will help keep you hydrated. Or some fruit (even if it’s dried fruit). Pack a good old fashioned sandwich with any healthy filling you want and avoid the heavy salted in-flight meals.
Flight Safety Tip: leave the mixed nuts at home in case anyone on your flight has an allergy.
Wear loose comfy clothing
You’re not going to a fashion show, so wear what makes you feel comfortable. Layers are great for flights as the temperature onboard can be different from the airport or outside. Notoriously feeling cold on flights, I like to wear a sweater and bring a hoodie in case I need an extra layer.
Sweat pants or loose workout pants are great because they stretch which means you won’t have the discomfort of wearing jeans sitting down for 10 hours.
Wear shoes that are easy to take off in case you need to de-shoe for security. Running shoes/sneakers are the best as often you don’t always have to take them off. Plus you can loosen them on the flight. Just don’t be the one to put your bare feet up between someone’s headrests.
Bonus Tip: Take a change of clothes if you have a connecting flight. My last journey was 20 hours end to end so a change of clothes made me feel like a new person.
Pack the health and beauty essentials
The cold air on planes can seriously dry out your skin. Therefore before you fly, remove all your makeup and moisturize, moisturize, MOISTURIZE!
Sample size or travel size moisturizers are perfect for flying and unscented is best in case those around you have allergies. Repeat throughout the flight, and your skin will thank you later.
Also remember to pack a travel toothbrush and travel size toothpaste in your hand luggage. If you’re on an epically long flight (or worse, connecting flights), brushing your teeth can feel amazing.
Bonus Travel Tip: Hold onto those mini dental hygiene packs you sometimes find in hotels, or the samples you sometimes get from the dentist. They’re just the right size to go in your zip lock bag of liquids.
Flying high with the best travel tips
If these tips don’t get you ready for that international flight I don’t know what will. Being prepared is key, making sure you have everything you might need without over-packing. Be smart with your travel choices and you’ll go far (last long haul flight joke I promise).
On my next big trip my ultimate goal is to do one major long haul trip with carry on baggage only. The packing cubes and packing compression bags are the way forward I think. That and not bringing 5 pairs of shoes everywhere I go.
But no matter how much you choose to pack, remember some of these essential long-haul flight tips and your journey will be a lot more comfortable.
If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. What are your favorite long-haul flight tips for surviving long plane journeys?
I love this post! And, I do a lot of the things you mention, though I probably could get up and walk more and drink more water for sure. I bring my eReader with me everywhere, so great for trying to not overpack, but the darn computer and camera always do me in, lol!
Surprisingly, I like flights unless I do not have a cold and cough because the ear pain can be extremely painful.
Moreover, I love the smell of the airports and the plane. But yes, any flight journey of more than 2 hours does take a toll on my body.
Living in Sydney Australia I’m no stranger to long haul flights & I like your suggestions. I always choose an aisle seat so I can get up and move around & wear compression stockings as this helps to reduce the swelling in my ankles which can last for a couple of days. Thanks for sharing!
love this, so relatable! As an IBS sufferer, flying makes me feel so bloated and lethargic! I neeever drink alcohol either, and always bring my own food, as I’m practically allergic to most things an airline will serve me! Good tips on the noise cancelling headphones, its the screaming children for me!
I love all of your tips. I live in the UK but I am from US. So having to take long flights is a common thing for me. Yes I agree to always get an aisle seat. I had to fly on a military flight for a deployment and I couldn’t pick my seat. I had to sit in the middle and it was the worse experience bc the guy next to me was sleep the entire flight overseas. I have to move around and get my blood circulating or my legs will go numb. Also, I like your tips for moisturizing and drinking water. Great post.
This is exactly how I feel about flying! I don’t like it, many times I’m even anxious about it, but I have to tolerate it to get where I want. Can we teleport already!?
I did the mistake of not checking in early before and I was stuck with the seats that the airline assigned me when I bought the tickets. So I ended up separated from my bf, both stuck in the window seat (one in front of the other) because there were no adjacent free seats left. I didn’t leave my seat for the entire night (Doha-Kuala Lumpur) 🙁
So great tips, I’ll remember them!
I agree that a long-haul flight is something you better be well prepared for. Travelling with a backpack only is a great idea but for me not so easy to follow all the time. I always take a good travel pillow because I think that sleeping is the best way how to spend time on long-haul flights. Thanks for your great tips!
These are all great tips! I am so with you on the aisle seat after being trapped once haha!
So many essential tips! Such a good point about staying hydrated and saying no to dehydrating drinks, too. I always feel more rested after a long flight if I’ve drank lots of water the entire time and stayed away from junk food.
Super helpful tips. I do a lot of them, too, when I´m on a long flight.
This was really helpful, thank you. After two years I’ve forgotten about a lot of these! I’m actually cautiously looking forward to flying again, several hours with a book and nothing else to do sounds delightful 😀
These are super helpful tips! I always bring water but forget to drink it and end up with a major headache by the end of the flight. Also a great idea to get up and stretch your legs, something else I rarely end up doing.
Love that you included be nice to people around you. Especially these days!